Times, they are a-changin’ – looking at the bright sides of life

After having blogged rather less than more during the last five years – and without a real focus, I’ll change my writing habits in two ways:

First, I will write in english, because it makes much more sense to communicate in a language that all of my friends and readers are familiar with. And, writing in a foreign language, makes me writing in a more concise way – I have to think harder what (not) to say and how to say it.

Second, I will experiment a bit: I’ll write about my personal experiences in my business as well as my private life – and I will always try to put emphasis on the positive aspects of each topic. In other words: I won’t criticize people, actions, situations, etc. but stress the positive effects, intentions, outcomes, etc.

Especially this narrative emphasis on the positive aspects of everything might sound strange at a first glance. The reason for me is that I got bored by the increasing level of – often undifferentiated – criticism of all kind, especially in social media. Now and then during 2013, my Twitter timeline or Facebook stream reminded me of a Wailing Wall, where hundreds, if not thousands, gathered and lamented about politics, economics, business or other people.

“Change your friends – and your timeline gets more positive”, you could argue . Sure, but my impression is that with worsening economical circumstances, more and more people are being fooled into expressing negative thoughts and and focusing on criticism than turning things upside down and being positive, constructive and creative. And everything has its positive side, which often does not seem worth mentioning or just stays unnoticed.

And before I start lamenting about other people’s lamenting, I’ll shut up, get myself a glass of Chianti Classico, and think about the first article in 2014. I would love to read your comments and to delve into a lively discussion on the positive aspects of things, situations and people with you!

Yet, sticking to (negative) criticism alone is the easy part of any communication. To see things form the other person’s perspective and trying to find the constructive elements is much harder – but makes communication work, at the end.

This is a crossing point. Even though it’s hard to ignore criticism, we would do well to focus on the helpful and positive and not to go on the fly in the ointment.
it is exemplary to focused on the positive.